Blossom In Adversity - Vol. 2

C219. Digging a Hole.

Chapter 219: Digging a Hole

There was a gasp from the surrounding crowd. Old Madam Wu stood up and scolded sharply, "Hua Zhi, what are you trying to do? Let go quickly!"

Hua Zhi's lips curled into a slight smile. To everyone's surprise, she actually let go. Old Madam Yang was also taken aback but wouldn't miss this opportunity. She raised her hand and slapped down hard, but it was caught again just before it reached her face. This time, Hua Zhi used a bit of force.

Without looking at Old Madam Yang's contorted face, Hua Zhi turned to Old Madam Wu, "I did as you asked, Old Madam, and let go. But what happened? Could it be that everyone in this room has joined forces to bully me?"

She had indeed let go, and she had indeed almost been slapped. Everyone was speechless. Even Old Madam Wu, who wanted to speak up for the Yang family, could only use seniority to justify things at this point. "She is, after all, an elder. You shouldn't hold a grudge against her."

"If I had been slapped, would Old Madam Wu also say that I shouldn't hold a grudge against an elder?"

Having been hit on a sore spot, Old Madam Wu's face flushed. She had prepared this line, and though she still said it, the implication was completely different.

However, on the surface, she refused to admit it. Her eyes widened as she said, "What kind of talk is that? How could I say such a thing? It's just that she is older. If you are relentless, even a reasonable person will become unreasonable. Why don't you just let it go for the sake of her being an elder?"

"Respecting the elderly isn't about respecting their age but about respecting their character and conduct. Some people live their whole lives, but they've only eaten for nothing for decades." Hua Zhi released her hand and sat upright, fearless, her eyes even carrying a hint of defiance.

Old Madam Yang couldn't tolerate this provocation. Even though her hand was now numb and weak, her other hand was still functional, and she was close enough to lunge forward and scratch Huazhi's face.

As Huazhi dodged, she kindly kicked the chair aside, preventing the old lady from hitting her teeth on the chair. But without the chair to block her, and with her daughter-in-law unable to support her, everyone in the room could only watch as Old Madam Yang was about to fall to the ground. Yet, to their surprise, Hua Zhi, who had dodged, quickly stepped forward to help her up. Although Old Madam Yang still fell, it wasn't as hard.

Old Madam Yang looked up and saw Hua Zhi looking down at her with mockery in her eyes. Her mind went blank. For decades, she had been the head of the household, and every daughter-in-law was under her thumb. The inner house was her dictatorship.

When had she ever been so humiliated?

Her hands moved faster than her brain could process. Before she could even fully rise, she lashed out at Hua Zhi's face, who was still helping her up. Her hand grazed Hua Zhi's cheek, a mere scratch, but to onlookers, it appeared as a full-blown slap. And Hua Zhi, in a dramatic gesture, tilted her head to the side.

Old Madam Yang, knowing full well that she hadn't actually hit Huazhi, was even more enraged. Seeing Hua Zhi within arm's reach, she lunged forward without hesitation, intent on clawing at Hua Zhi's 'fox-like' face.

This time, Hua Zhi retreated swiftly, while Old Madam Yang took a hard fall. Yet, no one could blame Hua Zhi for her actions.

She had tried to help, only to be met with aggression. Who would offer the other cheek after being slapped on the first?

Yang's young lady hurried forward to assist, her face flushed with embarrassment at her grandmother's public display. But Old Madam Yang pushed her away with such force that Yang's young lady landed on her bottom. She let out a small gasp, which seemed to trigger a switch in Old Madam Yang. She dropped her aggressive demeanor and began to moan softly.

"Oh dear, oh dear..."

Everyone exchanged puzzled glances, while Huazhi stood aside, watching coldly. She knew exactly what Old Madam Yang was up to but remained unperturbed. The first time she'd offered to help had been for the benefit of the onlookers, and to prevent Old Madam Yang from injuring herself and pinning the blame on her. The second time, she had refrained from helping, realizing the fall wouldn't cause any serious harm.

The others, standing farther away, couldn't see as clearly as she could. Old Madam Yang's expression hadn't changed a bit after the fall; she still looked as though she wanted to tear Hua Zhi to shreds, suggesting that she wasn't feeling any pain.

With that in mind, Hua Zhi decided to play along. She had come here to publicly break ties with the Yang family and to prevent Yang family from making any further demands on the Hua family.

Old Madam Wu, genuinely believing that Old Madam Yang had been seriously injured, gestured for her servants to help her up. She also hurried over to inquire, "Where did you fall? Are you badly hurt? Eldest daughter-in-law, quickly send for a physician."

"Yes," the servants replied.

A crowd gathered around, eager to help the fallen woman to her feet. In that moment, everyone remembered Old Madam Yang's origins. Unlike them, she was not from a prominent family. She had been a mere orphan who had sought refuge with the Yang family's ancestor. It was not surprising that she resorted to such underhanded tactics.

Though they were on the same side, they were uncomfortable with her behavior and their expressions softened.

Meanwhile, Old Madam Yang, seated in a chair, continued to moan in pain, as if she were on the verge of death.

Old Madam Wu saw through the ruse and turned to the young head of the Hua family. She had not wanted to play this role, as her daughter was still married into the Hua family and she had not forgotten how Hua Zhi had saved her daughter's life.

However, family obligations took precedence over personal feelings. The Yang family had promised to secure her husband's promotion if the Wu family supported them in this matter. She missed her daughter terribly and worried about her future, but she had a son and grandsons to consider, as well as the reputation of the Wu family. She knew she had to do what was necessary.

"Miss Hua," she said, "with things having turned out this way, do you have any suggestions?"

"That's an interesting question, Old Madam Wu," Hua Zhi replied, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "This incident occurred at the Wu residence, and it was a member of the Yang family who fell. Why are you asking me for advice? Perhaps I should be the one seeking your guidance."

She continued, "To be precise, Old Mada, Yang fell while attacking me. Old Madam, you're phrasing your question in a way that suggests I might have done something to provoke her. I would never bear such a false accusation. I trust that the Wu family would not unjustly blame me, a young woman."

Hua Zhi then smiled. "If the Wu family insists on taking my side, then I suppose I can accept this as a minor inconvenience."

Zheng shi was taken aback. She didn't understand why the Wu family would want to share the blame.